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Review : Secret history

Sputnik 1, the Soviet satellite launched into orbit in 1957, galvanised the American space programme and was seen as a grim portent by the US. To counter the threat of these weapons, the US installed nuclear rockets in Italy and Turkey. Khrushchev, in turn, began to move missiles to Cuba, then withdrew in the face of firm challenges from Kennedy. That was the media story. The Other Missiles of October by Philip Nash shows that Khrushchev and Kennedy did a secret deal to draw prestige from the affair, Kennedy as a resolute leader and Khrushchev as a saviour of peace. The rockets in Europe were quietly taken away. Neither side could stomach the thought of appearing simply reasonable. It’s a sorry tale. Published by University of North Carolina, &dollar;18.95, ISBN 0807846473.